Hunters - Rising



  Hunters

  Rising

  by

  David Greer

  Copyright 2013 by David Greer

  Cover Art by Sean Roberts

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  Author's Note:

  Thank you, thank you, thank you for downloading this book. Thank you to my family and friends that supported me while creating this story. And many thanks to those who provided encouragement, let me bounce ideas off them, and gave a look at the story while I was writing it to offer editing advice and ideas. Finally, a big thanks to my friend Sean Roberts for lending his creative talents in making the cover art. To the readers: please enjoy!

  Prologue

  The full moon shone bright in the clear night sky, illuminating a white sandy beach below. The light reflected off the ocean surface creating the effect of diamonds floating on the water. Mailee, her eyes fully adjusted to the night, admired how the water sparkled with the moon and stars above. The young girl strolled lazily taking in the view and the cool night air. She enjoyed having the beach all to herself while the rest of the island slept.

  Not long ago Mailee was also asleep but she stirred awake and her eyes would not doze shut again. Some strange feeling had her attention and wouldn't let go. It was a nagging curiosity and a strange urge that spurred Mailee awake. She sat up in her bed, a soft cushion held in a hand carved wooden frame, reached her hands high up and extended her back. Relief washed over her as blood began to flow more freely throughout her body.

  The strange feeling that woke Mailee urged her to the ocean. She tied her straight black hair back, tiptoed outside, and quietly made her way through the small village careful not to make a sound. She didn't want to wake her parents, or anybody else for that matter. The people of Northern Island worked hard during the day and valued a good night of undisturbed sleep. Even though it was doubtful anybody would hear the light footsteps of a young girl, she was careful nonetheless. She hunched over as she moved with the illusion that if she was harder to see she would also be more difficult to hear.

  Mailee made her way to the beach to a spot she and her father frequently visited. She could hear his voice telling her how the ocean always calmed his mind when it got too cluttered and busy. Unconsciously, Mailee reached for the seashell necklace her father had made for her. It was a simple necklace. A series of small, flat shells that naturally had a hole in the middle of them were strung in order of size. Larger shells, which were barely the size of Mailee's thumb, were strung at the front of the necklace and smaller shells were strung at the back. The pendant was a single spiral seashell. The smooth curves of the shell gave the small girl a sense of comfort and warmth.

  Small waves flowed onto the shore and caressed the sand as they receded. Mailee felt calm wash over her. A soft breeze and aromas of ocean spray stroked the air. The urge that brought Mailee to the ocean was satisfied but the curiosity of why was not. She untied her hair and let it flow freely in the breeze and plopped down on the sand.

  Mailee hoped something amazing would happen. She was in the middle of a very nice dream when whatever it was that woke her up roused her from her slumber. The young girl had been dreaming that she was flying over the ocean. Wind blew through her hair, the ocean stirred beneath her. It was exhilarating. And then she woke up and was now sitting on the beach.

  Content that she would not be falling back asleep Mailee figured a daydream would have to do. But would a daydream at night would be called a night-dream, she wondered, and if it was any different from a regular dream. Her brow furrowed at the thought, then she smiled when she realized the difference: Her eyes would be closed if it were a regular dream.

  Suddenly, something shook her. It came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. But Mailee was all alone on the beach. It was the ground shaking. It rocked the young girl back and forth and tossed her sideways. She laid on her side propped up on her elbow, tears filled the girl's eyes as fear gripped her. Mailee had only heard about rumbles but never experienced one herself. Stories of the ground shaking villages to rubble and tearing open holes in the earth so large that entire islands were swallowed up raced through her mind. Mailee feared the island would be swallowed into the ocean. A tear streaked down her cheek and she let out a helpless whimper. The earth shook violently for several moments but as suddenly as the rumble began, it ended.

  Everything was calm. Everything was quiet. Everything was still.

  Mailee staggered to her feet. She looked around and let out a sigh of relief to find that everything was as it should be. The trees were still planted in the ground and the island was still above the water. Then that feeling that urged her awake tickled the back of Mailee's mind. Upon the horizon, illuminated by the moonlight, something was approaching. A powerful wind blew across the sea and swept across the island. It sent the young girl staggering backward several steps until she found her footing and braced against the gale. The air grew incredibly hot. Mailee squeezed her eyes shut against the wind and the heat and held her arms up to protect her face. Then everything was calm again.

  She thought it was all over. The rumble had passed and the strange hot wind passed. But the young girl held her eyes firmly shut. Then Mailee realized with horror that she had seen something approaching and wind is not something she should be able to see. Still gripping her seashell necklace, Mailee opened her eyes.

  The gale came from the north and swept across everything in its path and a massive wall of water followed it. What the young girl on the beach had seen was the moonlight reflecting off of the wave's crest as it rose up higher and higher into the air. The massive wave washed over the small island wiping everything and everybody away. Nobody on the island saw it coming except for the young girl. And it was the last thing her eyes ever saw.

  Across the sea to the north, beyond the point where the ocean crashed into black rocky cliffs, loomed a mountain infamous for its dull reddish color. Deep beneath the crimson mountain a beast that hadn't been seen for centuries and had been lost to myth and folklore began to stir.

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